Don't Forget
by S J Smith-Evil Little Dog
Summary: She and Ed had talked about it – what they should tell the kids, when they got old enough to ask – but Winry hadn't expected the question to come so soon.


**Title:** Don't Forget

**Author:** S J Smith

**Rating:** Teen

**Characters: ** Winry, Edward, Baby Elric-Rockbells (Ed/Winry; mentions of Al/Mei)

**Summary:** Sometimes, things shouldn't be forgotten.

**Disclaimer: ** As we don't know the names of the kids, I'm doubting I own FMA.

**A.N.:** Thanks to D. M. Evans for the edits.

**Dedication:** This fic is dedicated to the incomparable Arakawa Hiromu, who created such an amazing world and characters - particularly female characters - I can admire and look up to.

* * *

Fall meant apple cider and the fall festival. It meant the kids going back to school in the one-room schoolhouse with Mrs. Hess, the same woman who had taught their parents (and some said, their grandparents). The leaves on the trees changed color and the temperature dropped, prompting people to dig through closets and chests for warmer clothes and jackets, blankets and flannel sheets.

It also meant Edward Elric became more introspective, quieter, distant.

Winry had grown accustomed to this trait in her husband – even before Ed became her husband, both brothers had reacted when the date they burned their home down drew near. It was the one date Ed seemed to remember, over his own birthday, even Al's or hers. She would have teased him about them about it but she remembered all too well the sorrow she'd felt when they'd set their house on fire. Ed had called her a crybaby; Al hadn't said anything but dropped an empty-gloved hand on her shoulder. Years afterward, she'd pried open Ed's military pocketwatch and he'd explained to her about the legend and date inside, and what it meant to him.

As far as Winry knew, Ed had never shared that information with anyone other than her. While it made her happy he had, she kind of wished Al had known, too. She didn't think that there should be any secrets between them any more, and, for the most part, there weren't. At least, not any that added up to anything.

Still, when Becca came to her, asking why Daddy kept walking over to the empty hill where the burned tree stood, Winry wasn't sure what to tell her. She and Ed had talked about it – what they should tell the kids, when they got old enough to ask – but Winry hadn't expected the question to come so soon. Not when Becca was only three.

Stroking Becca's bangs out of her eyes, Winry considered what to say. 'Your dad has a lot on his mind' wouldn't mean much to her daughter. Neither would, 'Something happened in his past'.

"Your dad joined the military around this time of year and he remembers it."

"He din't like the military?" Becca scowled.

How to answer that question. "He did and he didn't. The military helped him, but he didn't always like how the military treated people."

Her daughter's frown deepened, scrunching up her face. "So we do something nice for Daddy? So he'll 'member something good!"

Winry smiled, ruffling Becca's hair. "That's a very good idea. What should we do?"

"Apple pie!"

"Okay. Apple pie. Why don't you go and get Simon and the two of you pick out some apples?" She had to grin at Becca's brilliant smile, watching as she toddled off, shouting for her brother. In the mean time, Winry had a few things to prepare before Ed got back from his daily walk.

Ed groaned, falling face down into the bed. He felt the mattress dip beside him, one eye opening as Winry took down his ponytail. "Hnn. Dinner was good."

"Is that all?" She stroked his hair, shifting it out of the way so she could rub his neck.

The groan turned into a purr and Ed stretched under her ministrations, his spine cracking. "Mmm. That feels good?" Winry thumped the back of his skull with her middle finger, making Ed whine and roll his eye at her. "What?"

"The kids are asking me why you're so distracted."

"They are?" Ed pouted.

"Mm. So Becca thought you needed a good memory for today."

Ed turned over, folding his arms over his chest. "I have good memories for today." The pout was starting to turn into a scowl that Becca had obviously inherited.

"Good enough to make you smile instead of frown like that?" Winry tapped his furrowed brow and Ed wrinkled his face up even more, showing her his teeth. "That doesn't scare me, Edward."

He growled, glancing sideways. "Shouldn't." Surprise lit his face when Winry lay her hand on his stomach, tickling it through his undershirt. "Hey, what?"

"What?" Winry caught hold of his belt, unbuckling it before Ed could protest further. She tugged the belt out from under Ed, making him squirm and whine. "I figure you're a genius, right? You should know what we're going to do."

Ed caught her hand before she could unzip his trousers. "Wait a second."

"Hm?" Winry tugged, nearly freeing herself, though she let Ed keep hold of her wrist. "Are you sure you want to?" Nodding toward his burgeoning erection, she arched her brows.

"Nng! Winry!" It was cute he still blushed like that. "Not that I don't want to but - " Ed rolled his head to look past her. "The door!"

"I locked it."

"The kids!"

"Are sleeping. Or ought to be. And you normally aren't this shy." She did pull her hand free this time, tickling her fingers over the placket of Ed's trousers, ignoring the sound of his swallowing back a groan. "So?"

Ed smiled, that dangerous, sharp-toothed smiled that Winry loved. Sitting up abruptly, he grabbed her shoulders, flipping her back onto the mattress. "So." Ed leaned down, cupping her face with his hands. "Let's make a really good memory."

* * *

Spring meant sowing time, and birthing time. Flowers bloomed, heralding the beginning of warmer weather. Lambs called out to their mothers and the tender young plants reached up out of the soil and toward the sun.

Simon sat on one side of Winry, Becca on the other, both of them with their ears pressed to their mommy's stomach.

"It's cool, huh?" Ed asked, leaning over Winry's shoulder, grinning as their kids tried to listen to their newest sibling moving inside Winry.

"I remember what Becca sounded like," Simon said importantly. "This baby's gonna be a boy!"

"Is not! Gon' be a girl!" Becca shoved at Simon's head.

He tumbled back, nearly falling down the wooden steps. "Boy! I'm gonna get a brother!" Before Becca could react, Simon rolled off the porch, hitting the ground running. "I'm gonna go tell Uncle Al and Auntie Mei!"

"No! Not fair!" Becca ran after him, yelling at her brother to wait for her.

"Well." Ed sat down where Simon had been, wrapping his arms around Winry's growing waist. "That means they'll be gone for a little while." He nuzzled her ear, lipping at the jewelry she wore there.

Winry arched a brow. "Ed."

"At least forty-five minutes." He stroked her belly, moving his hand up to cup a breast.

Smacking his hand, Winry wriggled out of Ed's grasp. When he whined, she stood, using his shoulder to lever herself upright. "Not on the porch, Ed! Mr. Nedobeck isn't getting another free show!"

Ed snorted as she opened the screen door, holding it for him to follow her through. "That old man didn't even have a clue what we were doing!"

Winry laughed, shaking her head, as Ed caught hold of her from behind and they swayed their way down the hall just far enough to reach the living room before Ed kicked the door closed.

* * *

Summer that year would mean a new baby, another continuation of the Elric-Rockbell line; a little brother or sister for Simon and Becca; a niece or nephew for Al and Mei. A son or daughter for Edward and Winry.

A new memory, in a long string of them, going back to shared childhoods, dreams of pain and joy, remembrances of loss and gain.

And they couldn't wait.


End file.
